It has become a common practice to provide articles of luggage, whether or not they are provided with a rigid case or a case formed by a flexible material such as a fabric (soft case), with wheels enabling the article to be drawn along the ground or a floor surface.
For example, a valise can be provided with at least three and usually four wheels, casters or rolling bodies and with a strap or handle enabling the article to be drawn along a surface.
More recently, interest has developed in an article of luggage from which a handle can be extracted so that the article can be tilted to roll along a pair of wheels.
In addition, luggage carriers which may or may not be collapsible have been provided in which a pair of wheels are mounted upon a frame having a ledge upon which an article of luggage can rest and formed with one or more straps or other retainers for securing the article to the frame. Frequently, a handle can be pulled out of and at least partly retracted into the frame. Collapsible luggage carriers of this type are frequently used by aircraft travellers since the luggage carrier can be placed in an overhead compartment when collapsed. All of these prior systems have greatly facilitated the use of luggage by eliminating to a large extent the carrying burden theretofore placed upon the traveller.
Notwithstanding the success of such systems, various problems have been encountered. For example, soft case luggage of the type described may have insufficient structure to enable it to be easily packed and rolled about. Luggage carriers can be complex in construction and difficult to handle for at least some potential users.